A cold front swept through Northern Illinois last week, prompting me to gather in the herbs. Even though fall nudges summer to step aside, her smells and textures linger in the flower beds around the house. Perhaps the fragrant thyme will plead for a reprieve or the globe basil a stayed sentence as trembling bees sip the last drops of precious nectar… in remembrance.
This summer, as I strolled past the kitchen garden, I would often snatch a sprig of lemon thyme and rub its pungent oil into my fingers. Other times, I would snip off a few stems of lavender and tickle the little girls under their noses. But now it’s time to store those precious memories in air-tight jars. Even though it hasn’t frosted yet, the colder temperatures warn us of things to come. Time is of the essence, and the herbs seem to whisper to me through the windowpane, “Preserve us before it’s too late!” 
With a chill wind at my back, I cut bunches of sage, lavender, basil, thyme, lemon thyme, dill, and rosemary, arranging them in separate bundles. After making a loop with garden twine and wrapping the stems together, I give them a gentle washing and hang them out on the clothes line to dry. Once inside the house they will dangle from teacup hooks above the kitchen sink until they’re brittle enough to “put up.”
Soon the temperatures will really plummet and we’ll welcome the seasonal change by liberally sprinkling a harvest full of herbs into pots of winter soups and stews or gingerly stirring them into lumpy herb-and-cheese scone batter. The sun-drenched days of summer and the joy of growing herbs under our kitchen windows will be remembered as flavorful aromas issue forth from our stove.
As I sit in the living room writing about the change in weather, I notice Elizabeth standing in the dark kitchen in front of the sink. The light above her head silhouettes the freshly hung herbs against the windowpane. She reaches up and rubs each bundle, then smells her fingers. I’m in awe….Suddenly I realize I haven’t only grown a garden full of herbs this summer, but another herb gardener as well – and the harvest is very sweet.
“…Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” John 4:36-38
October Family Writing Project
If you’re like me, you have skills or hobbies that you want to impart to your children – gifts and talents that you hope will become the fiber of their very being. Your wisdom and knowledge in these areas is invaluable .
Set aside some precious moments this month to share the story of your favorite gift, talent, or hobby with your children. Write a letter, including the background of how you came to love a particular skill or hobby. Discuss the people who taught or influenced you to develop and pursue your interests. Even include some of the “how to’s.”
After your children have read their letters, store them in personal binders or “Note Chests,” and pass the story of your expertise on to the next generation.
The Gift of Family Writing
Copyright 2006 by Jill Novak
Beautiful pictures. If they are indeed yours, my I be granted permission to use one or two of the herbal ones?